| When I emptied my bulging pocket I discovered I was carrying 69,850 Congolese Francs, or about $75 (normally written 75 USD). The exchange is 920:1 in some places and 930:1 in other places. Congolese currency is usually very soiled, limp and torn, but when one attempts to pass US currency, which really is accepted just about everywhere, they examine it with a magnifying glass and if it is creased or slightly torn they will refuse it. I haven’t found out yet why they accept, and often issue invoices only in, US currency but not European euros. I think it is a status thing for Congolese to pay in US currency. Only paper bills are issued here; there are no coins. Often the smallest bill that is recognized in a transaction is 100 FC, so sometimes you have to pay a few cents more than the item costs because it rounds up to the nearest 100 FC, and sometimes you pay a few cents less than the item costs because it rounds down. The most common denomination is 500 FC. Sometimes I might get 20 of them in change. The largest denomination I have seen is 5,000 FC. A few things may be less expensive to buy than in the US (although that would mostly be services, such as tailoring), most things are much more expensive, and not just the imported things. Some examples: a big head of butter lettuce costs about $11; one medium sized potato is about $1.10; a nice leek might cost $5. I bought a few $4 pens today that probably would cost .50$ at Staples. |
